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Vasculitis

What is vasculitis?

Vasculitis refers to a group of diseases that cause inflammation of the blood vessels. This affects blood circulation throughout the body and can lead to a number of uncomfortable symptoms in children.

The body needs regular blood supply to function properly. Inflammation causes swelling of the blood vessel walls, which can reduce or block blood flow to organs and tissues.

What are the symptoms of vasculitis?

Vasculitis can cause a range of symptoms depending on which part of the body is affected. The larger the affected blood vessel, the more damage there may be.

Signs of vasculitis vary depending on which area of the body is affected. In most cases, symptoms in children include:

• Severe and prolonged tiredness
• Unexplained daily or prolonged fevers
• Joint or muscle pains
• Numbness and weakness
• Loss of appetite or severe weight loss
• Skin rashes with small, red or purple raised areas
• Coughing blood
• Abdominal pain or bloody diarrhoea
• Dark or brown-coloured urine

Symptoms of vasculitis differ from child to child and depend on the type of vasculitis diagnosed. Common types of vasculitis in children are:

• IgA vasculitis (previously called Henoch-Schonlein purpura) – This is a condition that causes an inflammation of the tiny blood vessels called the capillaries in the skin and often in the kidneys. This results in skin rashes, especially over the buttocks. This type of vasculitis occurs primarily in children between the ages of 3 and 15 years.

• Kawasaki disease – this is a condition that causes inflammation in the walls of medium-sized arteries throughout the body. The inflammation normally occurs in the coronary arteries, which are responsible for supplying blood to the heart muscle.

What are the treatment options for vasculitis?

Vasculitis treatment depends on your child’s:

• Overall health
• Medical history
• Type of vasculitis diagnosed
• Organs affected
• The severity of the condition
• Tolerance for certain medications, procedures, and therapies

Dr Ambaram may recommend medications to help control pain, supportive care to help organs that may not be functioning properly, and specialised medications to help control inflammation such as steroids or other immunosuppressive agents.